The present invention generally relates to a system and method for implanting an implantable cardiac device. The present invention more particularly relates to such a system and method wherein programmable parameters are conveyed to an external device from an external programmer to establish proper operating functionality consistent with the patient's requirements. After the implantable cardiac device is implanted, the last set of programmable parameters provided to the external device by the programmer are conveyed from the programmer to the implanted device. The external device and programmer are configured to permit physical separation of the external device and programmer during utilization or to permit the external device and programmer to be combined in a predetermined relation to form a single unit. In either configuration, telemetry between the external device and the programmer is supported by properly orientated and aligned telemetry antennas of the programmer and the external device to permit reliable telemetry of the programmable parameters. The programmer also includes a parameter selection panel which is hingedly coupled to a top wall of the programmer to permit the same to be raised into a convenient position during use.
The implantation in human patients of implantable cardiac devices such as pacemakers and cardioverters/defibrillators has been on going for many years. Such devices are implanted beneath the skin of a patient and include or are associated with a lead system comprising one or more endocardial, intravascular, or subcutaneous leads. Each lead includes at least one electrode for making electrical contact with the patient's heart. Such electrical contact permits heart activity to be sensed and/or electrical therapeutic energy, such as pacing or cardioversion pulses, to be applied to the heart by the implanted cardiac device.
To implant such a device, the lead system is first implanted beneath the skin of the patient. Then, an external device, not suitable for implantation, but which can fully emulate the diagnostic and therapeutic functionality of the device to be implanted, is directly coupled to the implanted lead system. Modern day implantable cardiac devices can be extremely complex in offering multiple modes of operation and a myriad of selectable functional parameters. With the external device, the various modes of device operation and combinations of functional parameters can be manually selected for interaction with the patient for evaluation before the implantable device is actually implanted.
Modern day implantable cardiac devices are also generally able to communicate with an external programmer through a telemetry system. To that end, the programmer will have telemetry capability to transmit the programmable parameters and modes to the implanted device. The telemetry system generally includes a transmitter for transmitting, by way of radio frequency (RF) energy, selectable modality data and operational parameter data to the implanted device. The implanted device in turn has telemetry capability including a receiver for receiving the mode and parameter data transmitted by the programmer for enabling the selected modes of operation and implementing the selected parameters in the implanted device. To accomplish this last step, it is necessary for the implanting physician to manually transfer the selected modes and parameters from the external device to the programmer for transmission to the implanted device. This procedure is not only cumbersome and inconvenient, there is also always the potential for human error during the transference. This can result in the implanted device being set in improper modes or with improper operating parameters.
In addition to the foregoing, it is desirable to render the programmer and external device combination as physically convenient to use as possible. This is desirable given the rather busy operating room environment which normally prevails during the implantation of an implantable cardiac device.
The present invention provides an improved system for implanting an implantable cardiac device which addresses the foregoing issues. By virtue of the present invention, the transfer of mode and functional parameter data from a programmer to the cardiac device after implantation is rendered advantageously more convenient and essentially error free. Also, an improved programmer and external device configuration allows the programmer to be placed in such engaged relation to the external device so as to form a single unit or permits the programmer and external device to be displaced from one another to provide extreme flexibility in arranging the combination within the operating room environment. Lastly, an improved mode and parameter selection panel configuration is hingedly coupled to a front or forward edge of the programmer so that mode and parameter selection may be made with minimum effort and maximum convenience.